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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27020788">fire and thorn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/INMH/pseuds/INMH'>INMH</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>trope-bingo fanfiction fills 2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rule of Rose (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magic, Branding, Drama, Fire, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:22:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>568</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27020788</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/INMH/pseuds/INMH</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Diana torments Jennifer.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>trope-bingo fanfiction fills 2020 [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848508</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>fire and thorn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Jenn-i-<em>fah</em>.”<br/>
<br/>
Jennifer cringes, squeezes her eyes shut. Diana never says her name like that when she plans on being nice.<br/>
<br/>
“I have something for you!”<br/>
<br/>
She stays still, doesn’t turn, and hopes it’s just a mouse or a praying mantis or some other lesser thing that Diana plans on frightening her with. She should have guessed what was coming, but it isn’t until something scalding-hot presses against the back of her neck that Jennifer remembers how long it’s been since Diana’s burned someone.<br/>
<br/>
Jennifer screams and jumps away; Diana laughs madly, the glow leaving her eyes as the fire leaves her fingers. A thin piece of metal falls to the ground, clinking on the floorboards near Diana’s feet.<br/>
<br/>
The back of Jennifer’s neck burns and stings badly.<br/>
<br/>
Diana’s favorite pastime is twisting paperclips and other little pieces of metal, and then using her fire-magic to heat them until they’re burning hot. Usually she sneaks up on others and presses the metal to their skin, but Jennifer’s seen her use the worst of her homemade brands on herself; especially on the thigh Diana always keeps tightly bandaged.<br/>
<br/>
Those are the ones always scar.<br/>
<br/>
Jennifer’s eyes water, but Diana’s laughing; Jennifer backs away as she rubs her neck. This probably won’t scar, but it will hurt and itch terribly for a time. She’ll have to see Clara, have her clean it up so it doesn’t become infected. “Why did you do that? Why do you <em>always</em> do that?”<br/>
<br/>
Diana smirks. “Poor little Jennifer, can’t take a little burn?”<br/>
<br/>
Jennifer’s lips quiver. Next to Susan and Olivia, she is without question one of the weakest at magic in the orphanage, and cannot hope to hold up against Diana. She’s strong enough and mean enough to make Jennifer regret her resistance almost immediately; Jennifer has not forgotten the time Diana and Eleanor spat, fire and ice clashing violently. Diana had won because she had been able and willing to set the curtains on fire, always ready to push farther than she should.<br/>
<br/>
Mr. Hoffman had been furious, but Eleanor had been put in her place, and that was all that had mattered to Diana.<br/>
<br/>
Jennifer’s only good at earth magic anyway; a handful of roses won’t protect her against Diana’s fire.<br/>
<br/>
“Aw, are you going to cry?” Diana coos, stepping forward and forcing Jennifer to take another step back. “You really are pathetic, aren’t you Jennif<em>ah!</em>”<br/>
<br/>
That last syllable is panicked, not mocking.<br/>
<br/>
Diana jumps back, kicking out at the thorny vines that have curled around her ankle like snakes. She stumbles back until there’s a good distance between her and Jennifer; the younger girl startles when Wendy appears beside her, seemingly out of nowhere. “Go away, Diana, if you’re not going to be nice,” Wendy says, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.<br/>
<br/>
Diana glares, but backs off down the hallway without another word. She might be older, but Wendy is stronger.<br/>
<br/>
It’s why she’s the Princess of the Rose.<br/>
<br/>
Wendy turns to Jennifer, vines curling over her shoulder and blooming with roses. She smiles, and one of the vines rises to press a rose to Jennifer’s cheek. “It’s not that bad,” Wendy assures. “She’s done worse.”<br/>
<br/>
Jennifer returns the smile, wet eyes drying. She takes Wendy’s hand, reaches out with her own magic and makes more roses bloom along the vine.<br/>
<br/>
“Thank you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Anything for you, my sweet Prince.”<br/>
 <br/>
-End</p>
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